SontarHa, SontarHa
by darkestboy
Summary: The Doctor and a new companion find themselves caught in a Sontaran scheme. Set between Planet Of The Dead and The Waters Of Mars.


**Name: **Sontar-Ha, Sontar-Ha  
**Characters: **10th Doctor, Sontarans, Judoon, Original Character  
**Synopsis:** There are plenty of ways to celebrate a birthday. Travelling with the Doctor, Morgan finds one that largely revolves around danger, especially when an old enemy between _Planet Of The Dead_ and _The Waters Of Mars._

It was a bright dawn and Morgan had spent most of his night meticulously scrubbing his flat. He wasn't a neat freak as such but seeing as he was going to be going away for a while, he saw no harm in making sure that everything was spick and span.

Packing came easy to him. One simple bag with enough clothing, toiletries and his camera and he was set to go. He tempted to take his laptop, which he had opened up on a desk by the corner. He checked his emails, most of which were spam and some holiday locations. He focused on this a little too much that he didn't notice that someone was in the room with him.

"You don't have to actually go away," the voice said, sounding a little sad. "Or I could come with you."

"I thought the whole point of me going away was so that I could figure out what to do next," Morgan smiled, logging out of his emails as he now looked at Peter.

"You sure you can't do that here?" Peter asked again.

"If I was, then I wouldn't have to go," Morgan chided him. "Besides, it's only for about three months. I'll be back for Easter."

"Do you even know where you're going?"

That question should've stung Morgan a little. Often he had been accused by loved ones and not so loved ones that he lacked direction. Instead it reminded him of his passport which he left on top of the fridge. When he retrieved it, he smiled at Peter, who did not smile back.

"Well, wouldn't be going anywhere without this," Morgan said, indicating the passport in his hand and then noticing Peter's grimace. "I'm coming back."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Morgan huffed a little. "I'm not doing this to get away from anyone in particular. I just need to go. Just let me go, okay?"

Peter said nothing for a few minutes. Eventually the two of them hugged and drank some leftover wine from the fridge. Morgan had then popped into his father to say goodbye before heading to a deserted alley. It was the very place he encountered a certain person a month prior.

"Any minute now," Morgan hummed as he looked at his watch. A familiar noise echoed the alley as the TARDIS. The Doctor stepped out, beaming. Morgan went over to him.

"Is it me or are you marginally less pale than usual?" Morgan asked.

"Is that how you greet everyone or just me?" the Doctor asked, mock affronted.

"Just you."

"Desert planet, Tritovores, might not be your thing." The Doctor with his hands in his pockets looked, almost as if he was expecting Morgan to bring company. He thought briefly of Christina and wondered if he was being hypocritical rejecting her and taking Morgan but Morgan had given him the impression that he only wanted a short trip, rather than pernament companionship.

"How've you been?"

"Swamped in work and concocting lies," Morgan told him. "I mean I could tell everyone I know that I'm travelling in time and space with an alien in a police box but I don't fancy a visit to the psych ward just yet."

"Quite right," the Doctor smiled at him as he opened the door. "Shall we?"

"Don't have to tell me twice," Morgan threw the smile back at him. "So, anywhere in particular you plan to take me? Apparently I missed out on the Tritovores."

They were inside the TARDIS, the door had closed and the Doctor was messing with the consoles when he wasn't rubbing his temple. Morgan watched him for a few seconds, unnoticed by the Doctor.

"Hey!"

The Doctor had suddenly noticed him again with the excited exclaim he had made. Morgan gave him an 'are you insane?' look that the Doctor just smiled at. Morgan realised that the Doctor must have come up with a brainwave of sorts.

"Last time we met, you said this day, this very day was your birthday," the Doctor pointed at him, speaking flustered, excited sentences. "I don't usually do this but how about you pick somewhere for us to go."

"Are you serious?" Morgan looked at him, uncertain of whether or not the Doctor was simply testing him. "I'd say scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef but that seems kinda lame when your mode of transport is a time machine."

"We could always do that on Woman Wept," the Doctor offered, then more enthusiastically. "Or how about going to a beach with intelligent sand? Seriously, the most cleverest sand you'll ever find in the universe. Just don't go on the day the sand devours people. That wouldn't be good for either of us."

"I think I'll pass on the beach or anything water related for the time being," Morgan said. "Besides I went to Blackpool with a few friends during the weekend as part of a joint birthday/leaving do."

"So where do your friends and family think you are?" the Doctor asked him. It was a question he often forgot to ask when people joined up with him. Being around Rose, Martha and Donna's families was beginning to make him more conscious of the people he travelled with.

"I didn't tell them," Morgan told him candidly. "To be honest, apart from some paraphrasing about finding myself, I couldn't come up with a half decent answer. I think I admire the fact that you don't really have anyone to answer to whenever you take off."

The Doctor nudged his head, acknowledging Morgan's point. It had been a long time since he had to report back to someone on his whereabouts. Before the Time War in fact.

"I mean, you don't, do you?" Morgan queried. "You're not going to get in trouble with your father or boss? Do Time Lords actually have bosses? Crap, now I'm babbling. I've only been travelling with you for five minutes and you've wrecked havoc on my speech patterns."

"This is going to be an interesting dynamic then," the Doctor smiled at him. "And no, no fathers or bosses to answer to. Not anymore. Gonna pick somewhere for us to look into?"

The Doctor had been looking at the monitor. Morgan could see that there were about three or four different planets on the screen (perhaps one of them was a moon or a large asteroid). Squinting his eyes and moving his finger, Morgan made a selection.

"Interesting choice," the Doctor said admiringly. To be honest, he was clueless as to what planet Morgan had actually selected but provided it lacked deserts, swarms or Tritovores, he was game for anything. "Allonsy."

"Okay, so where are we, exactly?" Morgan asked as the Doctor looked around their surroundings with boyish wonder.

"Honestly," the Doctor smiled.

"Yeah?"

"I don't know." Then catching the look off Morgan's face. "Hey, there are even some planets I haven't heard of."

"Well we can breathe so that's got to be a good indicator, right?"

"Yeah. Usually is."

Morgan wasn't particularly relieved with the relaxed and uncertain manner of the Doctor's answer but seeing as their last encounter had him fending off Krillitanes with Rosita, he decided not to complain.

The place was empty, almost quarry like but with more rocks, vegetation and a stream that was seen from afar. The air was chilly but oddly relaxing. It was like he could feel safe here but at the back of his head there was a little voice telling him to watch his back.

The Doctor took out a scanner device of sorts and began to scan around the place, which piqued Morgan's curiosity.

"What are you hoping to find?"

"Nothing," the Doctor said. "Just trying to make sure there are no nasty surprises. Merely taking precautions. Perhaps we should go into the city."

"Well, you're the designated driver," Morgan concurred. "So, I guess it would make sense to follow your lead. Are you sure you've never been here before?"

"As best as I can remember," the Doctor smiled. "Then again, my memory can play up."

As the two of them began to head for the city, there was a figure in the bushes watching the last of the Time Lords and his human friend. The figure was something of a survivor from the lone Time Lord's carnage and he wasn't impressed. He stepped out of the bushes, weapon in hand.

"So, Doctor you've chosen to come to Faleton, have you?" Sontaran Kruck snarled angrily. "By all means, explore our new dominion but beware arrogant meddler for it'll be the last planet you'll ever explore."

In the city, both Morgan and the Doctor had walked the streets with a certain level of enthusiasm. Morgan couldn't help but notice how infectious the Doctor seemed to be. It was exciting going to a new place, soaking up languages, cultures, etc but even Morgan was surprised to see that in his 900 years of existence, the Doctor showed no signs of jadedness or apathy when it came to new places.

The chilly air that provided strange comfort however could mask the emptiness of the city. It was like all the life had disappeared. There was certainly no-one around. Buildings upon buildings looked empty. Morgan had a bad feeling about this. It was also at this time he noticed that the Doctor was beginning to pick up on the emptiness of the city.

"Okay, so if I were a tourist and I came to a new world where there's not even so much a homeless man on the street -"

"- I'd be deeply suspicious," the Doctor finished. "Okay, fifteen minutes on a new planet and already you've deduced a problem."

"Do I get a prize?" Morgan asked. The emptiness of the city was making him uncomfortable and being uncomfortable was making him sarcastic.

"Do you want one?" the Doctor asked, countering the sarcasm.

"No, it's just a thing," Morgan said. "Uncomfortable moments bring out a more sarcastic side."

"I had a friend a bit like that," the Doctor told him, thinking of Donna for a moment. Times like this, he missed her.

Morgan smiled a little before sitting down at the fountain in the square of the city. The Doctor walked around the fountain kicking his feet, with his hands behind his back, deep in thought. Morgan stared at the fountain, looking at the pennies below. They looked similar to the shape of Euro cents but with a strong tint of orange. He was tempted to take one but resisted for a second before taking one. The Doctor gave him an odd look.

"Souvenir."

"If this place is that uncomfortable, we could always leave," the Doctor offered. Even he was beginning to get the creeps by it.

"No, it's fine," Morgan asked. "Beside I'm curious myself as to what happened here. Why is no-one around?"

"That's a good point," the Doctor said, his tone low, his brow furrowing. "Though I don't think we're exactly alone."

"What do you mean?" Morgan asked, suddenly confused. Then he heard it. Footsteps and ones that was sort of deafening as well.

"We've got company."

The footsteps grew closer and closer and from a closer sight, the Doctor and Morgan could see a group of Sontarans in pursuit. There were at least five of them and Morgan gathered that seeing as neither of them had weapons and the Doctor had an often sketchy stance on violence that their option would be to run.

"Doctor," bellowed an angry voice. The Doctor recognised the voice. He had been one of the Sontarans under General Staal's command. The Doctor had presumed he was dead. Evidently this was not the case.

"I take it you're responsible for this," the Doctor moaned accusingly regarding the abandoned city as the Sontaran who clearly identified himself as leader came a little closer to them.

"Doctor, you are an enemy of the Sontaran battle fleet and you will stand trial for your crimes," Sontaran Kruck snarled at the Time Lord. "Any acts of insolence will not serve you and the human male."

"Human male has a name, Spud Boy," Morgan said affronted. The Doctor gave him a look. Clearly goading a Sontaran on his appearance was a no-no.

"I am uninterested in your name, though you will make a fine worker of that I am sure," Kruck addressed Morgan his weapon pointed at the stranger.

"Working as what?" the Doctor asked, curious, worried. "What have you done to the people in this city?"

"Silence, Time Lord," Kruck snapped. "The fate of these humans is of no concern to you. Your own fate is what you should be in fear of."

"Hate to admit it but lumpy's got a point," Morgan said in a low voice. "Any tricks you might have up your sleeve, now might be a good time to use them."

"Tricks are for cowards," Kruck addressed Morgan, then looking at the Doctor. "Though I suppose that would be an appropriate stratagem for you, Time Lord."

"I resent that," the Doctor smiled. "But seeing as I'm so devious."

Before Kruck could counter the remark, the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to spring a hole in the fountain, hitting the lead Sontaran in the face with water. The distraction gave both the Doctor and Morgan enough time to run.

"Get after him," Kruck snarled. "I want the Doctor alive."

With that, the remaining Sontarans headed out to find the Time Lord and his friend. If they didn't, they knew that the Doctor would rumble their scheme. History had shown the Doctor's knack for spoiling things. He wouldn't get the chance to do it again.

"I love the running, keep up," the Doctor said panting, fleeing for his life but unable to ignore the rush of exhilaration coursing through his veins.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Morgan panted huffily, almost losing his breath but still running for dear life.

Times like this, he could almost understand why people, humans in particularly often cited him as mad. He didn't want to die, he didn't want Morgan to die and if the people of this planet were actually still alive, he certainly didn't want them to die but the chase was exhilarating in its own strange way.

Both the Doctor and Morgan had been running, narrowly avoiding being zapped by Sontaran weaponry. The Doctor had used his sonic screwdriver a few times to loosen balconies, signs, anything he could think of that would slow his pursuers down. It only worked to moderate effect.

They were soon out of the city and back into a forest. The place reminded him of another planet where a former version of himself along with Rose and Jack had once detoured to. That didn't turn out to be a pleasant and if the Sontarans managed to catch up with him and Morgan, then this wouldn't either.

Behind a couple of trees, the Doctor and Morgan had managed to stay hidden. The Sontarans were a good distance behind them but both men needed to catch their breath.

"They certainly know how to get blood pumping," Morgan said. "Bloody Sontarans."

"You know what they are?" the Doctor asked, sounding surprised. "I didn't tell you."

"You didn't have to."

The Doctor gave him a confused look. Morgan decided to elaborate.

"I know what they are because I came about them when I was researching you. Last time you saw them was when they were with those ATMOS devices, right?"

"I may have had an encounter with them a little after that," the Doctor confessed.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Let's just say they certainly know how to put you through the ringer. Survival of the fittest and all that," the Doctor looked around to see if they were going to expect company. "I'm really interested in finding out what they've been up now."

"They're the reason the city's dead," Morgan realised. "Oh God."

"Do you really think they're dead?"

"I don't know," Morgan stumbled a little. "We were in that city long before they showed up to nab us. If there's life around, it's certainly not in there. Unless they're choking the atmosphere again."

"We're still breathing," the Doctor pointed out. "But anything involving the Sontarans does tend to lead to warfare of some sort."

"Then what do we do because I hate to admit it, Doctor but the odd do look like they're against us, unless we go back and get Jackson."

"We need to keep moving," the Doctor said. "We may have lost them for now but if we stay here long enough, they'll come looking."

Morgan sighed for a second but he knew the Doctor had a point. Looking up at the sky, he could see that nightfall was approaching.

"So where exactly are we going to stay?" Morgan asked. "I don't think we're gonna be able to get back to the TARDIS in time."

"That part I hadn't figured out," the Doctor admitted sheepishly. "Unless there's some caves nearby."

"Yeah because nothing bad ever happens in caves," Morgan quipped dryly. The Doctor smiled. The comment wasn't helpful but he hadn't the energy to fight with Morgan and a couple of hours sleep might be a good thing as well.

"I do not accept failure," boomed Sontaran Kruck. "I gave you a simple directive — bring me the Doctor and his friend and yet I see neither -"

"- If I can just explain," Sontaran Vass begged, his voice being characteristically self-pitying.

"I am not interested in explanations, only results," Kruck interrupted.

"I understand that Commander but we tried our best. You said yourself how slippery the Time Lord is."

"You have one more chance to snare the Doctor," Kruck yelled at him. "Fail me again and I will have you terminated. Now get out of my sight."

Vass for a second stood there looking forlorn before leaving to rally his troops for another scout for the Doctor and his friend. It had been no secret that he looked up to Kruck like a father figure and mentor, especially since the deaths of General Staal and Commander Skorr.

It was Kruck who managed to fly their escape pod with seven passengers onto Faleton, in spite of his injuries. It was also Kruck who single handed gained the trust of the people of this planet before taking control of them and their world. People who now obeyed him out of a sense of respect as well as fear.

The Doctor and his human friend were unlikely to understand it but Kruck saved this planet. In return for such an achievement, he took it as his own. It was a more than fair return, given what he was able to achieve.

Kruck looked over the city from his base, wondering where exactly the Doctor was hiding. That man had caused his fleet, his superiors deaths with an atmosphere converter. He was going to know what death felt like, even if Kruck had to go through all of his remaining regenerations in order to wipe out the troublesome Time Lord.

"You're harsh with him," a female voice called. "He looks up to you. You are aware of that, right?"

"I do not need the opinion of a human female," Kruck grunted at her. "Just because I gave you a certain leniency and power does not mean that you are my equal, girl."

"I think you've made that clear on more than one occasion," the woman frowned. "And my name is Maya. It's a lot easier to address me with my name than it is for you to use my gender as a means of insulting me."

"Your people have no problem in using my height and appearance to insult me," Kruck reminded her.

"And look what happened to them," Maya frowned again, handing him papers. "Things are progressing. I think the constant threats of impending death are having an effect."

"As they should," Kruck smiled, looking at the papers, finding himself impressed with the readings. "Oh, this is good work indeed. The Rutans will never see this coming."

"Probably not," Maya said, her voice lacking interest. She was grateful to be alive but she was deeply uninterested in Sontaran politics, feuds and the like.

"You question me?"

"I just want my home world back," Maya told him, her voice now agitated. "Do what you have to do against the Rutans and get off my planet."

"Such ingratitude seeing as we saved your planet," Kruck reminded her. Maya sighed. He loved reminding her that he was her planet's saviour.

Maya didn't answer. She left in a hurry, angry at herself for what she was becoming. Every day she felt like she didn't recognise herself. The Maya of old would never have tolerated a bully like Kruck but she was powerless to stop and he knew. She could hope that he would keep to his word but somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew he wouldn't.

Morning had come and Morgan had found himself awake. Sleeping on a hard surface wasn't going to do wonders for his back but he looked around to see the Doctor had already been cooking fish with his sonic screwdriver of all things.

"Is there anything that thing can't do?" Morgan asked, still sleepy. He stretched out his arms and let out a yawn.

"It's useless with deadlock seals," the Doctor admitted. "Other than that, I'd say never leave home without one."

"Good to know," Morgan smiled, taking the fish, biting into it. "I'm impressed. You can cook."

"I do have many talents," the Doctor smiled, a little boastful.

"Any ideas as to what's going on here then?" Morgan said. "We can't stay in this forest and there's still no-one here but us."

"I think you might be wrong about that," the Doctor said. He could feel something coming.

"Sontarans?"

"No idea but - "

The Doctor could see something, a blue light surrounding him. When he tried to move, it tightened around him. Morgan went to his aid but the light pushed him back.

"Now this isn't good," the Doctor said, struggling to get out of the light. Within seconds he faded. Morgan jumped for the light but fell flat on the ground.

"Doctor!"

He was gone. Morgan was there alone. For the first time since arriving on the planet and despite spending several hours on the run without having the luxury of at least hiding in the TARDIS, Morgan was scared. Then he saw a blonde woman coming out from the bushes.

"You lost your friend. I'm so sorry but he's probably lucky."

"Who the hell are you?" Morgan was stunned by the new arrival. He noticed her face was blotchy from tears.

"I'm to bring you to them. We need workers, you're as good as any, that's what they say," the woman told him. "I really don't want to do this."

"Then don't," Morgan urged.

"I don't have a choice, I'm sorry," the woman said, wiping her eyes.

"I really hate that word," Morgan told her. " And I'm going nowhere with you, not until you tell me who you are -"

Morgan didn't finish the sentence. The woman had shocked him with a taser, stunning him into near unconsciousness. All Morgan could see were two men throwing a bag over his head and dragging him off as his vision began to fade.

One shock had been all it had taken and he was down so quickly, barely a fight in him. It was utterly disappointing and pathetic. This species was weak, even if they had their uses.

Sontaran Kruck thought that as he looked at the unconscious young man. It would've been more delightful had it been the Doctor he had now but the young man in question would have to do for the time being. The Doctor would eventually look for the human, so for Kruck, he had a decent bait to snare the meddling Time Lord.

Morgan found himself stirring back to consciousness. His head ached unbelievably, he brought a hand to his throbbing temples as he focused his eyes on his captors — the blonde woman and the Sontaran he had seen. Maya went to him.

"You're awake," she said, helping Morgan to his feet. Morgan stared at her with a degree of mistrust, before backing away from her.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Maya said, trying to reassure him. Morgan ignored her.

"Are you?"

The question was directed at the Sontaran. He looked at Morgan with a level of disdain. He didn't appreciate the man's attitude.

"Normally I would use your kind for target practice but you serve a greater purpose for the Sontaran cause," Kruck sneered.

"Sorry, wrong guy. I don't help aliens that choke the air of planets or knock me out," Morgan replied sharply and then sighing when he realised he was in a room without a window. "Now, let me go."

"It's probably best not to antagonise him," Maya advised the newcomer. She knew what Kruck was like when he was provoked. She should given that she had to scrub a room because of it.

"The female has a point," Kruck said. "Your precious Doctor isn't here so resistance is futile."

Morgan didn't answer for a second. He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with the Sontarans or even the woman if he was dead or even injured, due to a wrong word. His mind then thought of the Doctor. What the hell had happened to him?

"You're scared of him, aren't you?" Morgan asked, his tone more gentle and factual than goading.

"One thing you should educate yourself about the Sontarans is that we do not fear death," Kruck replied.

"Just because you don't fear death, doesn't mean you want to die either," Morgan pointed out. "So, that would mean that you don't want the Doctor to kill you either."

"Do you think your death would make him do such a thing?" Maya asked. Kruck gave Morgan a look indicating that he was curious as well to know.

"I don't know," Morgan threw up his arms. "Why am I here? What do you need me for?"

"Work purposes," Kruck said simply. "As humans, you are useful for manual labour. Get him ready."

The last part been addressed to Maya who pulled out a bag with tools — pickaxe, metal detectors, shovels, trowels, the lot. Kruck had left the room. Maya pointed the taser at Morgan on the chance that he decided to try to attack or escape.

"Again I apologise."

"Don't bother," Morgan snapped at her as he walked out the room with Maya behind him, pointing the taser at all times.

For a second, he was tempted to attack her and run but as soon as they were walking out of wherever he had been dragged to, he could see rows of people all seemingly hypnotised and the odd Sontaran, always with a weapon here and there. He would not make it ten feet if he tried anything. He'd have to bide his time and think of something. He didn't know if he could count on the Doctor to come and save the day. He didn't even know if the Doctor was alive to do so anyway.

Binding lights weren't the most original of teleportation devices but the Doctor had to give due to whoever was clever enough to make sure that one was able to ensnare him at the precise of time.

He had landed to his own destination quite lightly. No feelings of nausea with the teleportation and he noticed the lack of restraints as well upon his arrival. All of this boded well. Then he saw a mysterious figure come out the shadows, an older blue skinned alien woman with orange hair in her 60s. She looked friendly enough and was also not carrying a weapon. It boded well.

"I take it I have to thank you for the 'beam me up' moment," the Doctor quipped, extending his hand to shake hers. "I'm the Doctor."

"I'm aware of who you are," the woman smiled. "Atripia."

"What?"

"That's my name," she smiled. "When you didn't come at our rendezvous point, I feared that you either never received my message or you were dead. I'm glad that neither is the case."

The Doctor looked at the woman and found himself baffled. While it was looking that she wasn't a threat, the fact that she talked confidently about meeting up with him surprised him. Then he decided to check his psychic paper and something became clear.

IN DANGER, SONTARAN ATTACK

THEY HAVE TAKEN OVER PLANET FALETON

LIVES DESTROYED, PEOPLE ENSLAVED, TALKS OF INTERGALACTIC BATTLE TO END ALL BATTLES WITH OLD ENEMIES, THE RUTANS

NEED YOUR HELP, DOCTOR

THIS IS NOT A HOAX

PLEASE RESPOND IMMEDIATELY

FORMER PRESIDENT AND NOW FUGITIVE, ATRIPIA

The Doctor blushed and when Atripia picked up on it, he decided that honestly was a good policy in this situation.

"You only just got my message," she asked.

"Yes. Sorry." The Doctor was still blushing a little.

"Then what brought you to my planet if it wasn't my distress call?"

"My friend, Morgan he sort of chose this place," the Doctor as he then realised. "He doesn't know what's happened to me and we were running from Sontarans at the time."

"I'll get a search party out looking for him," Atripia promised the Time Lord. "If he's managed to evade capture, we'll get him."

"And if he hasn't?" the Doctor asked.

Atripia didn't reply. She had done her research on the Doctor. He was a Time Lord not to be trifled with and certainly had an occasional vengeful side to him but he also cared about other species, outside of his own. He had a particular affinity for the human race and mostly took on various members of them as travelling companions.

Finding his human friend would go some way in getting the Doctor's full co-operation. She needed him to get the Sontarans off Faleton before they decimated the entire planet in some intergalactic war. However, there was a small part of her thinking that in some ways that not only was she appealing to the last of the Time Lords for help but she was also getting him to clean up one of his messes.

"Right, then," the Doctor said with his hands in his pockets as he walked with Atripia. "Start from the beginning. Tell me how this all happened. How did the Sontarans manage to take over this place in a short space of time?"

"Any chance I can get an explanation as to how Mr Potato Head and his gang managed to control an entire planet?" Morgan asked dryly.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Maya said. "Section G, Area 4, that's your work station. Try not to annoy your fellow workers."

Morgan looked at her. Maya finally caved in.

"It's complicated."

"I might be human but I'm pretty adept with complications," Morgan reasoned. "I'll keep up."

"Are you?"

"What?" Morgan asked.

"Human," Maya said. "I mean it's strange, you look human but there's something about you, I don't know but it feels different. Whatever it is, keep to yourself."

That last part was a warning more than friendly advice. Morgan had noticed how quickly Maya's voice had become authorative. It unnerved him a little but he wasn't going to let her see that. She wasn't going to tell him. Whatever hold the Sontarans had over their planet, Morgan wasn't going to find out from her.

Grudgingly, he decided to go to his own work station. People were hauling rocks, Morgan had been to clear the paths with three other people. There was a Sontaran watching, Morgan thought he heard the creature being addressed as Vass at one point by Maya.

For a second, he thought of trying to coerce the people whom he was moving rocks with into a conversation but they seemed to be under a trance. Another thing that irked Morgan out even more. His mind went back to the Doctor. Where was he in all of this?

"We were dying when they first arrived."

The Doctor had sat in Atripia's office on a comfortable leather couch. The room had not been dissimilar to the Shadow Proclamation which he had visited with Donna and there was more glass ornaments, mostly of celestial bodies and mythical creatures than he could count.

"And the Sontarans took advantage of that," the Doctor said, ruefully. The thought disgusted him.

"Not at first," Atripia continued. "See, Doctor, we're a distant planet and you've come far more off course than you're probably used to."

"Well, funny thing …"

"What I'm trying to say is that until about seven months ago, we were pretty ignorant of Sontarans," Atripia folded her arms, not looking at the Doctor.

"They have an earth term that says 'ignorance is bliss'," the Doctor said. "Rarely have I ever found that to be genuinely true."

"Nor have I," Atripia agreed with the Time Lord. "But our lack of knowledge and rare histories of bloodshed had us to believe that the Sontarans were a benevolent race."

"That's one thing they're not," the Doctor sucked in his cheeks, then blew out air. "Sontarans do have a tendency to lie or secrete themselves into a place they plan to take over. It's not usual Sontaran modus operandi but it's still a fairly effective tactic."

"Anyways when they arrived on Faleton," Atripia said more briskly. "We were at a bad period in our history. Our crops were dying, people were dying. They could've slaughtered us there and then. We were at our most vulnerable. But they didn't."

"Why not?" the Doctor found himself more intrigued by this story as Atripia continued to talk.

"I have no idea," Atripia admitted. "They could've killed us but they helped us. Helped us to grow more crops. They gained our trust. Then they took over. They had a bounty set up for me, hypnotised all of my soldiers and killed as many people standing in their way as they possibly could. Even my daughter Maya is lost to those monsters now."

"I'm so sorry," the Doctor said, reaching to touch her hand. "Truly I am."

"Apologies are well and good, Doctor but what I need isn't platitudes or sympathies. It's action." Atripia said as her voice became more determined. "They're planning an interstellar war with the Rutans. I've managed to intercept the calls to arms, misdirected it."

"No Rutans," the Doctor realised, his face beginning to form a smile. He stopped when he saw that Atripia didn't particularly approve of the smile. "But why me? I don't mind helping if I can but if you're able to misdirect the Rutans from coming to Faleton, then how do I figure into things? It's almost as if you've got things under control."

"You're the only one with any knowledge to their history that we've been able to contact," Atripia said pointedly. "We did consider trying other sources — the Shadow Proclamation but our distress ship was blown from the sky by those creatures."

"Again, I'm sorry."

"I know nothing of their weaknesses. It's like they've blocked any sort of information that could be damaging to them from being publicly known. The only thing I do know is that you've fought them on more than one occasion and won each time."

"Not without casualties," the Doctor sighed. "I help you, I can't promise that things will not end messy. The Sontarans won't give up without a fight. They don't exactly fear dying, I'm afraid."

"So you'll help me?"

"Yeah," the Doctor. "I'll help you. I mean, I'm just one person but I will make sure that this planet doesn't suffer the same fate as many others."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Atripia smiled as she pulled an alien gun from the floor. The Doctor looked uncomfortable.

"I've never been a fan of guns," the Doctor admitted.

"The gun's not for you," Atripia said. "You see, Doctor, the thing is, I need an intelligent leader to help me reclaim my planet and given your abhorrence to violence, I also knew that I would need a small army. Twice in this day I've been fortuitous."

"I'm not following," the Doctor was confused.

"I'll clarify," Atripia smiled before hollering. "Sho, fo, no, to, ro, so, tro, do, nakim."

The call was familiar. Immediately the Doctor knew exactly who Atripia had summoned for an army. In the office now stood four Judoon. Three of them had weapons with Atripia arming the fourth one with the weapon the Doctor had mistakenly thought she was going to offer him.

"Hello," the Doctor said, sounding a touch sheepish. The little wave he made to his comrades as well didn't fare well.

The Judoon looked at him with a little disdain. The last time they encountered him was on the Shadow Proclamation. The Judoon hated deserters so having the Doctor as a superior to them wasn't ideal for them.

"Here's your army, Doctor. I hope they're to your satisfaction," Atripia smiled as she pulled out another gun. "And in case you might have thought otherwise, I am also prepared to get my hands dirty for the salvation of my world."

"I have bad news, sir," Vass stormed in.

"Speak Vass of this bad news," Kruck said, his tone taking a condescending octave. "Have the slaves tried rebelling again?"

"It's much worse than that," Vass said grimly. "Our glorious battle with the Rutans will not take place."

"The Doctor," Kruck grunted angrily as he pounded his fists. "I'll crush his bones for this."

"I believe it was the former president, Atripia who denied us of this blood sport," Vass told him. "Though I'm fairly certain that both she and the Doctor are now in cahoots as we speak."

"Clever, aren't they?" Kruck's voice dripped with sarcasm. "But not clever enough. They think they can prevent bloodshed, but we'll prove them wrong. Undo the hypnosis, set the prisoners free."

"Whatever for?" Vass was confused for only a second, then a smile etched his face. "Oh, now I see."

"Yes," Kruck returned the smile. "We'll strip this planet bare of anything but Sontaran life. Even the Doctor won't be able to stop us, though he'll draw his last breath trying."

Both Sontarans looked at each other victoriously as they stared at the foolish humans they had subjugated. They would make excellent casualties as the Doctor would make an exquisite kill. With the Time Lord out of the way, Kruck would then start his own war, one that would rival the epic battle that the Sontarans had been denied in participating in all those years ago. There was nothing more glorious than the thought of universal bloodshed.

Morgan had never worked as hard in his life as he did with moving rocks. He was a fairly active person but this was insanity to him. He knew that there had to have been more to hauling rocks around the place than there was here. The Sontarans were planning something and it wasn't good.

A woman named Gloria had noticed that he was beginning to slow down with his work and she then made it her business to castigate him for this.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" she snapped. "Is that what you want?"

"No."

"Then work faster," she snapped again at him. "I'm not getting killed because you seem hell bent on making a point."

"You have no idea what I'm trying to do," Morgan said.

"You're not the first person who's thought of rebelling but I don't intend on dying with you, so knock it off," Gloria screeched before noticing that Vass had entered the yard. "Damn it."

"Attention slaves," Vass yelled in an authorative tone. Morgan noticed that Kruck and the remaining three Sontarans were closely behind, armed and loaded.

Vass then held a device in the air, pressed it and around him everyone started moaning in pain for a few seconds. Their hypnosis had ceased.

As they looked dazed and confused, Kruck had come into closer sight and aimed his gun at Gloria. Before the woman could plead for her life, Kruck shot her dead. Morgan looked at him gaping, disgusted.

"What the hell?" Morgan growled angrily. "You had no right to do that."

"It's very simple," Kruck sneered. "You have served your purpose and now you will be killed. I'll give you a head start and then, it's your own fault if you die."

"You can't do this," protested an older man. "We have done nothing to you ahhhh -"

The man had spoken his last, following the sharp shriek of death. Morgan turned to everyone, that knot in his stomach getting bigger. The Doctor really wasn't coming back for him. He'd have to run but either way, he was going to be stuck on this planet and if the Sontarans didn't kill him now, then it would only be a matter of time before something.

"Shut up and run," Morgan screamed at them. "Now!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Without weapons, they were helpless against the aliens. Morgan led some of them into one direction while others began to flee in others, scattering themselves around the place.

"Sontar-Ha, Sontar-Ha."

The battle cry echoed through Morgan's eyes, deafening as anything. He narrowly avoided being blasted but people behind him were not so lucky. Every time he managed to run a few centimetres further to some form of safety, someone behind him unfortunately died in the process.

"I've never enjoyed such a blood sport as this," Vass snarled in satisfaction as he managed to successfully shoot three people down with his weapon.

Maya had been inside when all of this had happened. Thoughts drowned inside her head as she began to realise that her fate was sealed. If she didn't fight back, her own world was going to be lost to these heartless and cruel savages. She would not allow such a thing to happen. The Sontarans would have to die.

The door suddenly burst in and there stood Kruck with his gun in his hand, looking at the woman as if she were a cornered animal. Maya hadn't time to react.

"You should have ran when you had the chance, girl," Kruck sneered. "You might have even survived."

"I will not die by Sontaran hands," Maya said to herself. Kruck laughed.

"I'm afraid you will, my girl," the creature howled at her. "I wonder what your mother would say now, knowing that it was you who gave us passage onto your planet."

"I think she'd say, get off it now," boomed an authorative voice. Kruck turned around to see that he had company, the very kind he was hoping to bump into.

"I was wondering if you were ever going to show," Kruck snarled. "You're too late, Doctor."

"I'm giving you a choice, Kruck," the Doctor said in a calm voice. "Leave this planet, call off the hunt below. Or I will stop you."

"How are you going to stop me?" Kruck smiled. "By sacrificing your human friend, like you did with Luke Rattigan? You remember him, don't you, Doctor? You sent him to his death. It's ironic, considering your tireless devotion of helping those who are too stupid to save themselves."

"Don't test me," the Doctor growled, warningly. "This is your last chance, leave this planet now!"

"I'm sorry Doctor but I'm afraid I'm going to decline," the Sontaran pointed his gun at the Time Lord and a crooked smile rose on his face. "More importantly, consider this justice for the butchery of my former comrades. Sontar-Ha, Sontar-Ha."

Before Kruck was able to pull the trigger, a crippling smack to his probic vent sent him falling to his knees. The Doctor could see that Maya had a rock in her hand, which she discarded in favour for Kruck's gun.

"I thought you said you knew nothing about the Sontarans," the Doctor asked Atripia as she entered the room. Immediately Atripia and Maya hugged, mother and daughter reunited.

"It just occurred to me," Maya smiled. "They always faced us, never allowed us to be behind them all that much. And it seemed odd. Is he dead?"

"No," the Doctor said as he looked over Kruck's unconscious body. "But his temperament certainly will be more unpleasant when he wakes up."

"And the rest of the Sontarans?" Maya asked.

"Taken care of," the Doctor said. "I did try to advise the Judoon from adding to the slaughter. However if I know them, that won't be the case. Allonsy."

The Doctor ran out of the entrance area to what in his own mind drew comparisons to a lot of the battles he'd taken part in at different times during his regenerations. Both Sontarans and Judoon were shooting at each other. It was when an innocent civilian was shot did the Doctor intercede.

The Judoon in question wasn't pleased with the Doctor's input and pushed him to one side. As another Sontaran was trying to shoot more people, the Doctor aimed his sonic screwdriver and blasted the weapon out of his hands. The Sontaran cursed furiously at the Time Lord, charging towards him.

"Killer," the creature yelled as he began to throttle the Doctor.

The Doctor tried to kick the Sontaran off but it was Morgan's luck with smacking it's probic vent that forced the Sontaran to release the Doctor from it's grip.

"You're alive then," Morgan said, helping the Doctor to his feet. The Doctor noticed he was covered in dirt and had gained some scratches to his face.

"You alright?" the Doctor asked, his concern genuine.

"I am now," Morgan said as he looked around.

The madness had begun to calm down as the Doctor and Morgan looked around. While some people had unfortunately died and others were injured, the two remaining Sontarans that hadn't been killed by the Judoon were detained.

In Atripia's office, the Doctor, Morgan and Maya had been there with the arrested Sontarans and the Judoon. Morgan hadn't been completely surprised that both Kruck and Vass had somehow survived. He looked at them with contempt. They did not reply.

"So what happens to them now?" Morgan asked.

"It's not up to me," the Doctor replied as he then looked at Atripia. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to execute them," Atripia said with coldness in her voice. "Because of them, many of my people, some of the finest people are dead. This can never happen again."

"You're better than that," the Doctor said to her and then to Maya. "Both of you."

"The folly of a Time Lord as well as the population of this planet, so pathetically soft, so pathetically cowardly" Kruck snarled. "Let them kill us and then more of the Sontaran fleet will descend and eradicate this snivelling planet."

"I agree with Atripia, Doctor," Morgan said.

"It's still not the way," the Doctor said. "She doesn't need blood on her hands. Believe I know what that's like. Nothing good ever comes from it."

"They will be taken to the Shadow Proclamation for trial," the head Judoon said. "Their punishment will be one that they will severely regret."

"We do not fear death or punishment," Vass hissed. "Your threats are futile. The Sontarans are never defeated for long. You'll be sorry for this indignity."

"Not this time," the Judoon hissed, teleporting themselves and the remaining Sontarans away.

"Well, that's that then," the Doctor drew in his breath, then looking at Morgan. "I think it's time we left."

"Thank you, Doctor," Atripia smiled. "You don't know what you've done. This planet is in your debt."

"Don't mention it," the Doctor smiled. "Besides, the Judoon took them away."

"I guess this is goodbye," Morgan smiled at Maya. "Sorry I was harsh with you but you should've told me."

"Apology accepted," Maya smiled, pulling him in for a hug as she then whispered in his ear. "Watch yourself with him. You might be friends but you're going to hurt him."

"I don't understand," Morgan said, pressing in closer to the hug. "In what way?"

"That I can't help you with but you won't mean to do it," Maya said as she released. "Be on your guard. He'll need you when Mercury One rises."

"Yeah, sure. I'll do that, thank you."

With that, both Morgan and the Doctor headed back into the TARDIS and tended to the former's wounds. The Doctor had asked Morgan about his birthday experience on an alien planet, which Morgan made light of. He knew he was going to betray the Doctor but in his mind as he ran through a million possible ways as to how he would do it, he drew a blank. This unsettled him more than anything else. The Doctor however fiddled with the controls, oblivious to what his new friends was thinking.

Looking around the apartment that he had been designated into looking after, Peter sat on the couch with a bottle of wine, deep in his own thoughts. He was then distracted by a text on his phone. The number of the sender made him smile.

JUST THOUGHT I'D SAY HI, THINGS GOING UNEXPECTED BUT WELL

SEE YOU IN APRIL

I LOVE YOU

MORGAN

He smiled and replied a similar platitude as his phone then rang, only the number this time made him groan. It reminded him of what he had set in motion.

"Hello," Peter said plainly, keeping his voice neutral.

"Is everything in motion?" the man known as Palmer asked on the phone. "Has your man gained his trust?"

"Yes."

"Then you know what to do," Palmer said in an irritatingly smug tone. "After all, Mercury One depends on you."

With that, Palmer hung up. Peter poured himself another glass of wine. He was going to hate himself for what he was going to have to do next. Two people's lives were going to change for the worst because of it. He would know that the one he had grown to love would survive while pitying the one who would perish at an old enemy's feet. It amazed him how two words would set up this whole thing.

- The End -


End file.
